Countdown to Kona!

7/10/09

I absolutely love being in here in Kona. It’s the smell of the beautiful hibiscus flowers, the sound of the ocean lapping against the rocks, the pods of dolphins jumping like they don’t have a care in the world, the kaleidoscopic fish that play tag beneath the waves, the incessant heat from the sun, and the unrelenting winds that pummel you from every angle, and of course all the lycra that seems to be the garment of choice for every discerning visitor at this time of year. I have run down Al’ii drive countless times in the past 10 days, and it never ceases to put a beaming smile on my face. This is the island where I have been crowned double world champion; the island which has granted me the opportunity to test myself to the limit, and the island that has changed my life.

With only two days left until the gun goes off I think the best thing is to let my race do the talking. I am ready, I am strong and I really can’t wait to extract every ounce of strength, energy, passion and fire from my mind and body from beginning to end. That is all I, and every athlete, can ask of themselves.

You can follow the action on www.ironman.com, www.universalsports.com and also, www.tyr.com

I would like to give my deepest thanks to my family and friends who have made the long journey across the pond(s) to watch me (or at least use me as an excuse to drink mai tais, go snorkelling, sunbathe and get some characteristically British red/white tan lines); to my sponsors – who have supported me in so many ways – including my newest sponsor T3 recovery products (www.t3recovery.com) who provide me with the most important piece of training equipment of all – my bed! To all the volunteers to have worked hard behind the scnees all week to enable all the athletes to live their dreams. And lastly, to everyone from across the world who have taken the time to send me good luck wishes. If I don’t get the chance to reply in person, I want to say how much I appreciate it. They are all saved on my computer, and I will be reading every message as the race draws ever closer.